Secondary schools can now for the first time use the OECD PISA-Based Test for Schools as a school assessment tool. NFER has joined forces with the OECD to deliver this test to schools and networks of schools throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.

The PISA-Based Test for Schools assesses 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science, measuring to what extent students are prepared to succeed in a global economy. It is designed to support schools in their continual improvement efforts by providing comprehensive feedback on the performance of their school and how this compares to national and international benchmarks and performance in similar schools.

Benefits for schools include a tailored report providing:

descriptive information and analysis on the skills and creative application of knowledge of their 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science;

individualised tables and charts;

examples of strategies, policies and practices from education systems around the world, which schools can use to support critical reflection and to stimulate interest beyond their classrooms in search of excellence;

comparisons based on type of school and socio-economic circumstances.

There are two opportunities a year for schools to use the Test - autumn and spring. The Test, which costs £3,550, can be ordered at /pb1, and will be administered in schools by NFER Test administrators. Orders for spring 2015 need to be placed by 21 November 2014.

Maria Charles, Director of Research and Product Operations at NFER, said: “We are delighted to be working with OECD to provide these highly informative tests for schools. Building on our experience of working with OECD, NFER is confident that the school-based test will provide schools with valuable data to inform their teaching and learning strategies.”

Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director of Education and Skills, commented: “The idea for this test came from schools who were keen to understand how they stand in a global context and what they can learn from the best performing education systems internationally. With this new PISA-Based Test, schools will have the tools to see how they compare in relation to their peers in some of the world’s leading education systems.”

Note to Editors:The PISA-Based Test for Schools is a school-level assessment that complements the main PISA studies undertaken by countries every three years. It is based on the same PISA assessment frameworks but provides results for participating schools rather than national results. It provides participating schools with results that are comparable to the international PISA scales when administered under appropriate conditions – even though they are not national PISA scores per se. The comparability of the results is what allows schools to see how they compare with their peers in some of world’s leading education systems.

For more information on Pisa-Based Test for School please visit the NFER website at: /pb4 where you will find FAQs and a sample report.

About NFERNFER has a worldwide reputation for providing independent and rigorous research in education. As a charity, any surplus generated by the Foundation is reinvested in research projects. /schools; @TheNFER

About OECDThe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is the international economic organisation that runs the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. To date, students representing more than 70 countries have participated in the assessment. For more information on http://www.oecd.org/education/oecd-to-launch-pisa-test-for-schools-in-uk-in-2014.htm